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I've said for 3 summers that I'm going to start scrapbooking. This one is going to be it but I don't know where I should start. I have all the materials I need. Should I start with a themed album, child's album chronologically, etc.? What's a good starting place? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
I would start with the most recent cause it's the most interesting and most likely to keep you motivated! As for should you do theme or chronologically is up to you. What do you want your albums to be like? Maybe you could do some of each to see which you like better!
Hi. I had the same exact problem as you. I put so much thought into what kind of album I should make I put it off for over 2 years and just stuck to making cards etc. I would start with a small album like 6x6 or 8x8 just so you won't have alot of ground to cover. Picking a theme is a great idea and I would suggest focusing on something that you don't have boxes full of pictures to go with. Some I thought about were my family tree, my lifelong vacations album, my 7 year relationship album, my every pet I've ever owned album (Those were just not happening!!!) What could also help is just doing your basic page layouts first and then going back and dressing them up (I wish I did that!!!) Anyway good luck!!! -Liz-
After going to a scrapbooking class with our demo, my sister and I decided we needed to get together and scrapbook on our own. What we did was a 6x6 brag book for the year ("A Year in the Life of...") - two pages per month, one page for journaling and one page for a picture.
We alternated months and traded - so, for example, I did all the odd months and she did the even months. We made two sets of the same thing and traded. We tried to be very month-oriented for the first book, which was okay, but challenging. Then we loosened up for the second and just did whatever we wanted - and I feel like it was much more creative.
Here's an example of one of the pages my sis made (she's so good, I never uploaded mine)
I feel like the 6x6 book was a great starting place for me - it's not as threatening as that giant 12x12 space!! And all you need is ONE picture per month to fill it up...
Hope this helps!
__________________
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say,
and what you do are in harmony."
-Mahatma Gandhi
If you decide to scrap chronologically, the best tip I ever got was to start with your current pictures and work backwards. That tip really helped me to not be overwhelmed when I started because I was already 9 years behind on pix (I wanted to be scrapped back to when first son was born). Now that does cause you to get a little backed up on the current pictures sometimes (depending on how much time you spend scrapping), but you can just kind of go back and forth.
I am still behind on the early pictures, but I am scrapped all the way back to 1993 and my current pictures are scrapped up to March of this year. I go in cycles with my scrapbooking so there are times that I can be more than a year behind on the current pix, but then I spend a few weeks getting caught up again. This pertains to the family album only though....the albums for both of my kids are another story...LOL! I actually didn't decide to do separate albums for my kids until a few years after I started scrapbooking so their books are much more behind on the current pictures. They are scrapped back to when they were born though!
Another suggestion for when you start scrapping is page kits. Several manufacturers make these including SU and CTMH, but I have seen them in the craft stores too. They are a great way to get caught up very quickly and the pages still come out very nice. They are usually theme oriented.
I would agree with the suggestions on starting with your more recent pictures.
I had a different projest I started with and can find it overwhelming at times. My dad took all of our growing up years pictures on slides. He is now deceased and my mom wanted to see the pictures but could not run the slide projector. I have been going through all of the old slides and converting them to photos for her scrapbooks. It has been fun but somewhat confusing. I appears that dad in his mistaken belief that no one would care after he was gone, apparently got rid of some of the slides and we are now scouring all of the old boxes to see if there are any copies on old photo paper.
Once you have sorted out some of the picutes you want to scrapbook, see if you see a theme that would match one of the classes given by a local stamp/scrapbooking store. It is a great way to get you started and you don't have quite so much stress in trying to decide how to do your first layouts. The teacher has done it for you. If you already have photos that you know will match the theme it is ideal..(Such as a class with a Disney theme to go with picutes from your last trip to Disneyland or from a Disney birthday party)
start with something small. Depending on the age of your children make them an ABC album. Or make them each an album all about them using the lyrics to a song that makes you think of them. Once you get going you can then move on to doing vacation albums, children's albums, family albums...etc.
I have an album for every base we have been and will be stationed at. I have children's albums too. I made a love story album for me and DH (it goes through our dating and up to our wedding). I did our wedding pics too (of course I didn't crop a one of those). I even did an album for myself (birth to present) and one for DH (birth to present). You'll find yourself knowing what you want to scrap and how to put them into albums.
__________________ GOD BLESSOURTROOPS The way to know life is to love many things. ---Vincent Van Gogh
I started stamping a year ago because I wanted to scrapbook but I have yet to do a scrapbook. I don't know where to start either. I'm thinking about doing a book for a year and scrap any trips or events in that year in one book.
I'm so behind on scrapping myself that it isn't funny! Sometimes I don't "feel" like scrapping the most recent pictures. I look at a stack of pictures and when a layout idea comes to mind - or I get a great feeling from them - I scrap those right away.
Someone suggested page kits. I don't consider myself a beginner scrapper but after I signed on with CTMH I decided to purchase a Level I - (4 pre-printed layouts plus cardstock and patterned paper, stickers) to do my zoo pages. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed using them and I felt like they went together pretty quickly compared to doing a page from scratch. I may just invest in a few more of these kits now that I've experienced them.
If your pictures are unorganized may I suggest the CM Power Sort, that big box got me so organized . . . now if I an just find the time to scrap, hmmmm, maybe if I get off this website?
__________________ Kristina Wife, Mommy, Stamper, Nurse Laura 6yo Jack 5yo, James 4/20/08 Megan arrived 3/16/09
I've said for 3 summers that I'm going to start scrapbooking. This one is going to be it but I don't know where I should start. I have all the materials I need. Should I start with a themed album, child's album chronologically, etc.? What's a good starting place? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much!
I started when I had my first child in 2000. What I have learned since then, is there are so many things to highlight , that the best way to do it is stick with seasons. Just a few highlights from each! This has worked for me.
I would recommend a mini-album to cut your teeth on, and then after that is done choose another project with a distinct beginning and end, whether it be an event layout to include in a chronological album or otherwise. My first scrapbooking project was in an 8x8 album of my husband's convocation and the family get-together that followed it. It was great because I had a discrete number of photos to choose from, a clear story to follow and journal, and it let me get familiar with the many scrapbooking products I had accumulated in the years before. The next layout I made after completing the convocation layout looks quite different because I had the benefit of a little experience.
I would also recommend selecting a layout pattern or patterns (Becky Higgins Simple Sketches for Scrapbooking are great!) for your pages before you sit down and begin your first project. I made my first layouts from scratch, and I tell you it maybe made the process more frustrating for me, and also shifted my attention from how best to use my products. I spent so much time re-inventing the wheel that I didn't have the energy/inclination to really look at my supplies and take advantage of them to their potential.
Good luck scrapbooking, and make sure you have fun!
It is because of these kind of questions I put together a class for beginner scrappers. At first I had everyone join a Yahoo group so I could keep up with what everyone was working on and answer questions but I got so busy, it was difficult to do. So I published all of the lessons on my website. If you'd like to take a look, click on my website in my signature, then go to the link to the left that says, "Class Schedule." I go through several tutorials I wrote myself and then send you around the web to look at other tutorials. I need to add more tutorials and techniques but this might get you started. If you have any questions, please let me know!
I started scrapping in May 2004. My first sb was chronological, I think! I started with my grandparents and worked up to my children ( from their birth to present). I plan to do another family one with my immediate family. I am currently working on an all about me album. It got so involved that I decided to use an art journal because I wanted to include some of my sketches, paintings, poems, and extensive journaling. I like chronological, but I suppose it does not matter if you scrap in order or not.
My one huge suggestion would be, to start with an 8x8, or 9x9 (whichever is easier to find in your area) book. I have found 6x6 to be just a LITTLE too small. 8x8 or 9x9 is a perfect size for starting out. They also come in 8 1/2 x 8 1/2, but I hardly ever see them.
Have fun!!!
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scrapbooking question
I started doing chronological with my grandchildren...I do one album a year...also have a "grandma's favorite" that has some of those great one shots in it...I try to do vacation albums, but am very behind on that and also put my grandchildrens 8 x 10 's in a seperate album for each
Right now I am doing an album for my "special"grandaughter( she is "by choice" ) that will be 18 in August our pics of her are different than what her family has...
but I agree start with something current and maybe try some little ones along with that to pick up some of the other pics.. 8 x8 are great or enen 6 x 6 for like a party or birthday or even a small vacation ...
.just start sorting and see what you have...that will help you decide on size
...good luck...
scrapbooking question
